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The GOP's presumptive vice presidential nominee is the 21st century's flesh-and-blood embodiment of political deception and media obfuscation.

Wisconsin congressman Paul Ryan admires Ayn Rand, and if you believe Republican Party mythology, Ryan is a messianic John Galt who will save America from a secret socialist conspiracy. Thus, in Rand fashion, it's worth asking: Who Is Paul Ryan?

The answer is simple: the GOP's presumptive vice presidential nominee is the 21st century's flesh-and-blood embodiment of political deception and media obfuscation.

Purporting to be a small-government budget hawk, Ryan publicly decries corporate welfare and says he wants “to get Washington out of the business of picking winners and losers.” This has generated press coverage promoting Ryan as a great fiscal conservative. Yet, written out of the story is the fact that Ryan is a Huge Government Republican who voted for–and in some cases, still defends–the biggest examples of corporate welfare in American history.

Ryan, you see, was the Huge Government Republican who backed this era's massive corporate bailouts–the one that picked politically connected companies as winners and taxpayers as losers. He was the Huge Government Republican who regularly voted for profligate war spending bills–the ones that blew a gaping hole in the federal budget. And he is the Huge Government Republican now using his committee chairmanship to oppose serious cuts to the deficit-exploding corporate welfare still embedded in the bloated Pentagon budget.

Similarly, Ryan claims to be, and is billed in the press as, a libertarian-inspired acolyte of Rand–a man who supposedly values freedom and limited government. But as a Huge Government Republican, he has consistently voted to expand the surveillance state, endorse warrantless wiretapping and permit indefinite detention. Oh, and in contradiction to Rand's writings, he has also pushed to use the power of Huge Government to end a woman's right to choose an abortion.

Like so many Republicans, Ryan genuflects to the private sector and insinuates that the government is not a job creator. It's funny coming from a guy who has spent most of his adult life as a federal employee and whose family's construction company brags of building its fortune off government highway contracts.

Ryan labels himself an opponent of “crony capitalism” and is often promoted by reporters as someone who can help Mitt Romney thwart the Washington insiders who corrupt our politics. Somehow, we are expected to ignore the fact that Ryan has spent the vast majority of his adult life in Washington; that his wife served as a top pharmaceutical and oil lobbyist in Washington; and that, as Newsweek reported in 2011, he tried to insert special provisions into federal law that would boost his personal oil investment portfolio.

Then there are Ryan's budget proposals, whose central premises are that Medicare must be gutted and Social Security must be turned over to Wall Street because we allegedly don't have enough revenue to fund them. In response, the press often credits Ryan's blueprint for being courageous and honest. Yet, in the very same plans, Ryan proposes to severely deplete public revenues by eliminating all taxes on capital gains, interest and dividends, meaning that, according to The Atlantic magazine, Mitt Romney would pay a 0.82 percent tax rate on his $21 million annual earnings.

Republican powerbrokers, of course, hope you never learn any of this. They hope you and an obsequious press don't bother to review Ryan's congressional votes or his legislative history. They are hoping, in other words, that when you see Ryan's boyish Midwestern visage, you won't see the real Ryan–and you won't see what his ascent to vice president might mean for the future of America.

David Sirota, an In These Times senior editor and syndicated columnist, is a staff writer at PandoDaily and a bestselling author whose book Back to Our Future: How the 1980s Explain the World We Live In Now—Our Culture, Our Politics, Our Everything was released in 2011. Sirota, whose previous books include The Uprising and Hostile Takeover, co-hosts "The Rundown" on AM630 KHOW in Colorado. E-mail him at ds@davidsirota.com, follow him on Twitter @davidsirota or visit his website at www.davidsirota.com.

Bush left Obama Hell on Earth Two disastrous wars. Enmity of 1500 Million Muslims

Clinton left Bush a President most highly rated of any peacetime President in Asia, Africa, Europe. Bush left Obama the most hated President in history

Bush left Obama an Housing Tsunami and Financial Volcano

Bush left Obama, in 2008, an 8500B Bail out commitment Yes! 8500 not just 700 Bush left Obama his Takeover of Fannie/Freddie, AIG, and first bailout of Chrysler Bush increased maximum loan by Fannie/Freddie from $153,000 in 2000 to $300,000 then to $729,000 That is how F&F got stuck with so many toxic mortgages. Bush gift to Big Bank pals. Bush increased FDIC maximum deposit coverage from $100,000 to $250,000. Help the rich. clarence swinney--political historian--lifeaholics of america burlington nc author-Lifeaholic--Life story of Workaholic failure to Lifeaholic success Best seller list in haw river nc population 200 and growing

I think our country is more divided now than any time since the pre-Civil War era. There seems to be no common ground any more and the divisions are becoming more entrenched. If people can't see reason and understand what is REALLY going on, we don't have a country any more. User's website

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Posted by clarenceswinney on 2012-08-23 15:58:59

so true so sad Recall Good Old DaysI have challenged many top R show a better record

CLINTON PRAISE-WITH PLEASURE

GDP--rose from 6300 to 11,600

NATIONAL INCOME-5,000 to 8,000 Billion--took 20 years to grow 2500B before Clinton JOBS CREATED--over 22 million--record by far

AVERAGE WEEKLY EARNINGS--$360 to $478

AVERAGE WEEKLY HOURS WORKED--never hit 35.0--hit that mark 4 times in 80's UNEMPLOYMENT--from 7.2% down down down to 3.9%

WELFARE TO WORK—11,533,710 on federal roll in 1996 and 3,880,321 in 2007. MINIMUM WAGE--$4.25 to $5.15

MINORITIES--did exceedingly well

HOME OWNERSHIP--hit all time high

DEFICIT--290 Billion to whoopee a SURPLUS

DEBT----+28%---300% increase over prior12 years

FEDERAL SPENDING--+28%---80% under Reagan- who da true conservative?

DOW JONES AVERAGE--3,500 to 11,800 all it's history to get to 3500 and Clinton zooms it NASDAQ--700 to 5,000---all of it's history to get to 700 and Clinton zooms it VALUES INDEXES-- almost all bad went down--good went up in zoom zoom zoom FOREIGN AFFAIRS--Peace on Earth good will toward each other---Mark of a true Christian--what has Bush done to Peace on Earth? POPULARITY---highest poll ratings in history during peacetime in AFRICA, ASIA AND EUROPE even 98.5% in Moscow--left office with highest gallup rating since it was started in 1920's. STAND UP FOR JUSTICE--evil conservatives spent $110,000,000 on hearings and investigations and caught--- ONE--- very evil man who took a few plane rides to events. BOW YOUR HEADS--Thank you God for sending us a man of Bill Clinton's character, intelligence, knowledge of governance, ability to face up to crises without whimpering and a great leader of the world. THANK YOU GOD FOR THE GOOD TIMES THE CLINTON YEARS.

I think our country is more divided now than any time since the pre-Civil War era. There seems to be no common ground any more and the divisions are becoming more entrenched. If people can't see reason and understand what is REALLY going on, we don't have a country any more. User's website

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Posted by clarenceswinney on 2012-08-23 15:58:23

I think our country is more divided now than any time since the pre-Civil War era. There seems to be no common ground any more and the divisions are becoming more entrenched. If people can't see reason and understand what is REALLY going on, we don't have a country any more.

Washington, DC – Campaign for America’s Future urges Senators to support tax cuts for 98 percent of Americans and to take steps to restore fairness in the tax system. Today the Senate is scheduled to vote on the Middle Class Tax Cut Act (S. 3412). The bill would extend the Bush-era tax cuts for 98 percent of state residents who make less than $250,000 in household income, but would allow the Bush tax cuts on income above that level, which benefit the richest 2 percent, to expire. “It’s time we stop giving large tax cuts to those who need them the least at the expense of the middle- and lower-income Americans who are struggling to get by,” said Robert Borosage, co-director of the Campaign for America’s Future. “The Senators who vote for the bill today want to ensure that every American pays their fair share.” Ending the Bush tax cuts on household income above $250,000 would save the government nearly $1 trillion in the next decade, according to Congress’ Joint Committee on Taxation, compared to extending all of the cuts. Wealthy people earning more than $1 million a year get an average tax break of $143,000 from the Bush tax cuts, but middle-class people making about $50,000 a year get an average tax break of only $1,000, according to the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center. “Opponents of this Bill essentially argue that the rich have too little money and the poor have too much,” said Robert Borosage, “When the rich get tax breaks they don’t need and the country can’t afford, the middle class has to make up the difference – that’s not right. ” According to a Treasury Department report, fewer than 3 percent of small business owners make over $250,000 a year, so allowing the Bush tax cuts to expire for upper-income households would have a no measurable impact on jobs.

Posted by clarenceswinney on 2012-08-22 10:02:56

PRESIDENT ALBERT GORE

AL GORE WON AND WAS ELECTED( NOT SELECTED)A LOOK AT A DIFFERENT 2010He would have continued Clinton/Newt Fiscal Policies of Pay Your WayWe would continue to have Surpluses not Debt as far as the eye can seeDebt today would be 6000B not 12000B2010 Budget would be 3000B not 3800Unemployment would be 5% not the real 17%.Food Stamp Roll would be 10% not 40%Unemployment Insurance Roll would be lowRedistribution of Wealth back to Middle Class would have continuedThe top 1% would own 20% not 43% of Total Financial WealthHe would have continued Taxing the top 1%Wall Street Regulators would be under experts not Partners In CrimeWe would have 400 military bases not 800 worldwideWe would not have two warsWe would not have lost thousands of lives of young youthsHundreds of thousands of Muslims would still be aliveThousands of young Muslims would still have legs feet and mindsAmerica would still be the most admired nation on Earth not the most despisedWe would go back to behaving as a Christ-Like nation via our national policiesMillions would own homes not foreclosure noticesStates would not be laying off hundreds of thousands in such important jobs asTeaching and Policing California would have a balanced budgetJohn Kerry would be President.Sound common sense policies would continue.

Posted by clarenceswinney on 2012-08-22 07:06:16

Non-sequiter. There cannot be both a "debt" and a "surplus". The Fed gov continued to borrow throughout Clinton's tenure, the "surplus" was false. However, the deficit was decreasing due to gridlock preventing the Fed gov from creating yet new spending, which is a great improvement over what followed.

Posted by Bob_Robert on 2012-08-20 10:55:18

"How come all those who favor "small government" only want to load the dice in THEIR favor?

The error is to call Ryan anything like someone who favors "small government". The premise is false so the conclusion is false.

People who actually want to reduce the scope and power of government oppose Ryan just as much as they oppose Romney AND Obama.

Posted by Bob_Robert on 2012-08-20 10:52:49

What's remarkable to me is the Big Lie: that Ryan has anything to do with Ayn Rand at all. It's long past time to call out the Big Lie here.

On all substantive issues such as the debt ceiling, corporate welfare, war, and the like, he is exactly OPPOSITE anything that might be called Randian or Objectivist.

Disagree with Rand all you want, but don't pretend a position is hers that isn't. Just like Ryan, don't pretend he's a "Randroid" when he obviously isn't.

Posted by Bob_Robert on 2012-08-20 10:50:51

How come all those who favor "small government" only want to load the dice in THEIR favor? No handouts for the poor! No special preferences for the Middle Class! But it's OK to give huge handouts -- oh, excuse me, SUBSIDIES -- to the Big Oil, Big Pharma, Big Ag, Big Banks and other Big Biggies in our country. Can't have it both ways. Those at the top don't trickle down anything except false promises to the rest of us. Please see this man for what he is: in the pocket of the Big Money interests of this country and foursquare against the rest of us.

Posted by JoyceD on 2012-08-20 09:57:49

SWINNEY BIG THREE=SBGFed Fund Campaigns-Elections—6 months—3 primary—3 general—free equal tv time—debate a week=12=adequate to evaluate NO $$$$$----Since no need to raise funds Ban all federal employees from accepting anything with a financial value.Progressive Flat Tax By Group—Tax total Income not AGI—burn tax book—start over—exemptions must serve common good not fat wallets.--this gets $11000B Revenue to balance our budget. Tax Estates. Tax Top down. It is dumb for us to have 14000 income and cannot pay a 3800 budget. It is simple. Borrow to let rich get richer. It must stop.

Posted by clarenceswinney on 2012-08-19 14:58:07

Ryan is a perfect example of the Republican motto: Do as I say, not as I do.

Posted by SA on 2012-08-19 12:43:11

vote smart R&R is gwb retread

CLINTON TO BUSH TO OBAMAWho Dug the Deep Hole? Who Fumbled the ball? Numbers rounded

Clinton left Bush an 1800B Budget Bush Left Obama a 3500 Budget

Clinton left Bush a 240B Surplus as far as the eye can seeBush left Obama a 1400B Deficit as far as the eye can see

Clinton left Bush 5,700B of DebtBush left Obama 11,800B of Debt

Clinton left Bush a 237,000 net new jobs created per monthBush left Obama a 31,000 lowest number since Hoover.

Clinton left Bush 17 Million Manufacturing JobsBush left Obama 11 Million Manufacturing Jobs

Clinton left Bush a 10,800 DowBush left Obama an 8028 Dow

Clinton left Bush Peace on Earth Good Will From Most MenBush left Obama Hell on Earth Two disastrous wars. Enmity of 1500 Million Muslims

Clinton left Bush a President most highly rated of any peacetime President in Asia, Africa, Europe.Bush left Obama the most hated President in historyBush left Obama an Housing Tsunami and Financial VolcanoBush left Obama, in 2008, an 8500B Bail out commitment Yes! 8500 not just 700Bush left Obama his Takeover of Fannie/Freddie, AIG, and first bailout of ChryslerBush increased maximum loan by Fannie/Freddie from $153,000 in 2000 to $300,000 then to $729,000That is how F&F got stuck with so many toxic mortgages. Bush gift to Big Bank pals.Bush increased FDIC maximum deposit coverage from $100,000 to $250,000. Help the rich.